[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 63 (Friday, April 2, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16902-16903]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-7402]


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

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee; Transport Airplane and 
Engine Issue Area--New Task

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

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

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

SUMMARY: The FAA assigned the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee 
(ARAC) a new task to identify and develop recommendations on additional 
requirements for low speed alerting in new transport category 
airplanes. This task is the first phase of an overall effort to examine 
new standards, as well as possible retrofit standards. This notice is 
to inform the public of this ARAC activity.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joe Jacobsen, Airplane & Flight Crew 
Interface Branch, ANM-111, Transport Airplane Directorate, Federal 
Aviation Administration, 1601 Lind Ave SW, Renton, Washington, 98057; 
telephone (425) 227-2011, facsimile (425) 227-1149; e-mail 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The FAA established ARAC to provide advice and recommendations to 
the FAA Administrator on the FAA's rulemaking activities with respect 
to aviation-related issues. With respect to low speed alerting, the FAA 
previously revised regulations in the area of flight guidance 
(autopilot) and performance and handling qualities in icing conditions 
to improve transport airplane standards for low speed protection (in 
the case of icing, stall warning standards were enhanced). However, as 
a result of several recent loss-of-control accidents and incidents, the 
FAA has identified a need for additional low speed safeguards, in 
addition to the regulatory actions that have already been taken. The 
committee will address the first task under the Transport Airplane and 
Engine Issues, under the existing Avionics Systems Harmonization 
Working Group.

The Task

    ARAC is initially tasked with providing information that will be 
used to develop standards and guidance material for low speed alerting 
systems. This information may result in standards that complement 
existing stall warning requirements. The working group will be expected 
to provide a report that addresses the following low speed alerting 
technical questions, relative to new aircraft designs (Phase 1 task--
new Part 25 standards), and provides the rationale for their responses. 
If there is disagreement within the working group, those items should 
be documented, including the rationale from each party and the reasons 
for the disagreement.
     How much time is needed to alert the crew in order to 
avoid stall warning or excessive deviation below the intended operating 
speed?
     What would make the alerting instantly recognizable, 
clear, and unambiguous to the flightcrew?
     How could nuisance alerts be minimized?
     Could the alerting operate under all operating conditions, 
configurations, and phases of flight, including icing conditions?
     Could the alerting operate during manual and autoflight?
     Could the system reliability be made consistent with 
existing regulations and guidance for stall warning systems?
     Are there any regulations or guidance material that might 
conflict with new standards?
     What recommended guidance material is needed?
     After reviewing airworthiness, safety, cost, and other 
relevant factors, including recent certification and fleet experience, 
are there any additional considerations that should be taken into 
account?
     Is coordination necessary with other harmonization working 
groups (e.g., Human Factors)? (if yes, coordinate and report on that 
coordination)
    The working group will be also be expected to provide a report that 
addresses the following low speed alerting technical questions, 
relative to existing aircraft designs (as a lead-in to the Phase 2 
task--retrofit standards), and provides the rationale for their 
responses. If there is disagreement within the working group, those 
items should be documented, including the rationale from each party and 
the reasons for the disagreement.

[[Page 16903]]

     How timely is the airplane in alerting the crew of flight 
below the intended operating speed? How timely relative to stall 
warning?
     Is alerting instantly recognizable, clear, and unambiguous 
to the flightcrew?
     How are nuisance alerts minimized?
     Does the alerting operate under all operating conditions, 
configurations, and phases of flight, including icing conditions?
     Does the alerting operate during manual and autoflight?
     After reviewing airworthiness, safety, cost, and other 
relevant factors, including recent certification and fleet experience, 
are there any additional considerations that should be taken into 
account?
     Is coordination necessary with other harmonization working 
groups (e.g., Human Factors)?
     If improvements are needed for low speed alerting in the 
existing fleet, should the FAA adopt a design approval holder (part 26) 
requirement to mandate development of design changes, or would an 
operational rule be sufficient? In responding, the working group should 
address the factors set forth in ``FAA Policy Statement: Safety--A 
Shared Responsibility--New Direction for Addressing Airworthiness 
Issues for Transport Airplanes'' (70 FR 40166, July 12, 2005).
    The ARAC working group should provide information that could lead 
to standards for low speed alerting that can be satisfied with 
practical design approaches.

Schedule

    The required completion date is 9 months after the FAA publishes 
the task in the Federal Register.

ARAC Acceptance of Task

    ARAC accepted the task and assigned it to the existing Avionics 
Systems Harmonization Working Group in the Transport Airplane and 
Engine Issue Area. The working group serves as staff to ARAC and 
assists in the analysis of assigned tasks. ARAC must review and approve 
the working group's recommendations. If ARAC accepts the working 
group's recommendations, it will forward them to the FAA.

Working Group Activity

    The Avionics Systems Harmonization Working Group must comply with 
the procedures adopted by ARAC. As part of the procedures, the working 
group must:
    1. Recommend a work plan for completion of the task, including the 
rationale supporting such a plan for consideration at the next meeting 
of the ARAC on Transport Airplane and Engine Issues held following 
publication of this notice.
    2. Give a detailed conceptual presentation of the proposed 
recommendations prior to proceeding with the work stated in item 3 
below.
    3. Draft the appropriate documents and required analyses and/or any 
other related materials or documents.
    4. Provide a status report at each meeting of the ARAC held to 
consider Transport Airplane and Engine Issues.

Participation in the Working Group

    The Avionics Systems Harmonization Working Group is composed of 
technical experts having an interest in the assigned task. A working 
group member need not be a representative or a member of the full 
committee.
    If you have expertise in the subject matter and wish to become a 
member of the working group, write to the person listed under the 
caption FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT expressing that desire. 
Describe your interest in the task and state the expertise you would 
bring to the working group. We must receive all requests by May 3, 
2010. The assistant chair, the assistant executive director, and the 
working group co-chairs will review the requests and advise you whether 
or not your request is approved.
    If you are chosen for membership on the working group, you must 
represent your aviation community segment and actively participate in 
the working group by attending all meetings and providing written 
comments when requested to do so. You must devote the resources 
necessary to support the working group in meeting any assigned 
deadlines. You must keep your management chain and those you may 
represent advised of working group activities and decisions to ensure 
that the proposed technical solutions do not conflict with your 
sponsoring organization's position when the subject being negotiated is 
presented to ARAC for approval. 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 co-chairs.
    The Secretary of Transportation determined that the formation and 
use of the ARAC is necessary and in the public interest in connection 
with the performance of duties imposed on the FAA by law.
    Meetings of the ARAC are open to the public. Meetings of the 
Avionics Systems Harmonization Working Group will not be open to the 
public, except to the extent individuals with an interest and expertise 
are selected to participate. The FAA will make no public announcement 
of working group meetings.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on March 29, 2010.
Pamela Hamilton-Powell,
Executive Director, Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee.
[FR Doc. 2010-7402 Filed 4-1-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P