[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 42 (Thursday, March 3, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11845-11846]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-4749]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

[Docket No. FAA-2011-0146]


Notice of Intent To Review Structure of the Aviation Rulemaking 
Advisory Committee

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice and request for public comment.

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SUMMARY: The FAA is considering restructuring the Aviation Rulemaking 
Advisory Committee (ARAC). This notice is to inform the public of FAA's 
intent and invites the public to provide any ideas or thoughts it may 
have on this matter.

DATES: Send your comments on or before April 4, 2011.

ADDRESSES: You may send comments identified by Docket Number FAA-2011-
0146 using any of the following methods:
     Government-wide rulemaking Web site: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and follow the instructions for sending your 
comments electronically.
     Mail: Send comments to the Docket Management Facility; 
U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., West 
Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590.
     Fax: Fax comments to the Docket Management Facility at 
202-493-2251.
     Hand Delivery: Bring comments to the Docket Management 
Facility in Room W12-140 of the West Building Ground Floor at 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday 
through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    Privacy: We will post all comments we receive, without change, to 
http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information you 
provide. Using the search function of our docket Web site, anyone can 
find and read the comments received into any of our dockets, including 
the name of the individual sending the comment (or signing the comment 
for an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review DOT's 
complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register published on 
April 11, 2000 (65 FR 19477-78).
    Docket: To read background documents or comments received, go to 
http://www.regulations.gov at any time or to the Docket Management 
Facility in Room W12-140 of the West Building Ground Floor at 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday 
through Friday, except Federal holidays.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee (ARAC) was established 
in February 1991 to provide FAA's Administrator with industry and 
public input in the form of information, advice, and recommendations to 
be considered in the full range of FAA rulemaking activities. These 
factors are consistent with the dictates of the Administrative 
Procedures Act (APA). The exchange of ideas that occurs through the 
ARAC process affords the FAA additional opportunities to obtain 
firsthand information and insight from those parties who are most 
affected by existing and proposed regulations.
    ARAC consists of approximately 55 member organizations selected by 
the FAA as most representative of the various viewpoints of those 
impacted by FAA regulations. The organizations provide a membership 
fairly balanced in terms of points of view of those represented and the 
functions to be performed by the committee. The committee is composed 
of organizations representing air carriers, airports, flight 
attendants, manufacturers, pilots, public interest and advocacy groups, 
repair stations, and consumer groups. Members serve in a representative 
capacity. In addition, an Executive Committee (ExCom) was formed to 
provide overall administrative oversight for committee activities. The 
ExCom consists of the ARAC Chair and Vice Chair, who serve as 
chairperson and vice chairperson, respectively for ExCom; assistant 
chairpersons representing aeronautical technical subject areas 
(presently, air carrier operations, maintenance, occupant safety, 
general aviation certification and operations, noise, aircraft 
certification, airport certification, transport airplane and engine, 
rotorcraft, and training and qualifications) with active projects only 
in transport airplane and engine, and air carrier operations.
    The goal of ARAC is to assemble the strongest expertise possible to 
address particular issues facing the aviation industry and traveling 
public. The committee conducts its business in open deliberations in 
the form of public meetings (working groups are exempted). As an 
advisory body, ARAC has consistently exercised its independence and 
freedom to provide the FAA recommendations that are not influenced or 
predetermined by the government. Since 1998, ARAC has submitted more 
than 110 documented recommendations or products to the

[[Page 11846]]

FAA that have contributed significantly to the agency's ability to meet 
its regulatory obligations.
    In recent years, the level of effort in ARAC has been reduced to 
the point that the FAA believes it may be appropriate to reorganize the 
committee in order to align the structure more closely with its current 
level of effort while maintaining its effectiveness. The FAA is 
considering reconstituting a new ARAC that reduces the over-arching 
layer of 55 members to a maximum of 25, eliminates the Executive 
Committee, while continuing to achieve balance across the broad 
spectrum of aviation stakeholders and interests. The FAA invites 
interested persons to participate in this request for comments by 
submitting written comments, data, or views. The most helpful comments 
clearly explain the reason for any position.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Renee Butner, Office of Rulemaking, 
ARM-24, Federal Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Ave., SW., 
Washington, DC 20591; telephone (202) 267-5093, facsimile (202) 267-
5075; e-mail [email protected].
    This notice is published pursuant to 14 CFR 11.85.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on February 28, 2011.
Pamela Hamilton-Powell,
Executive Director, Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee.
[FR Doc. 2011-4749 Filed 3-2-11; 8:45 am]
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