[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 170 (Thursday, September 1, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54528-54529]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-22360]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) of the Aircraft Certification 
Service (AIR) Process for the Sequencing of Certification and 
Validation Projects

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of availability and request for public comment.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of and request for 
public comments on the Aircraft Certification Service (AIR) standard 
operating procedure (SOP) describing the process used to sequence 
certification projects that are anticipated to take more than 40 hours 
of FAA involvement to complete.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before October 3, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Send all comments on the SOP : AIR-100-001; 
Standard Operating Procedure--Aircraft Certification Service Project 
Sequencing to: Federal Aviation Administration, Aircraft Certification 
Service, Aircraft Engineering Division, 950 L'Enfant Plaza, 5th Floor, 
SW., Washington, DC 20024. Attn: Renton S. P. Bean, AIR-103. You may 
deliver comments to: Federal Aviation Administration, 950 L'Enfant 
Plaza, 5th Floor, SW., Washington, DC 20024, or electronically submit 
comments to the following Internet address: [email protected]. Include in the subject line of your message the following: 
SOP : AIR-100-001; Standard Operating Procedure--Aircraft 
Certification Service Project Sequencing.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Renton S. Bean, Senior Aerospace 
Engineer, Federal Aviation Administration, Aircraft Certification 
Service, Aircraft Engineering Division, Technical and Administrative 
Support Branch, AIR-103, 950 L'Enfant Plaza, 5th Floor, SW., 
Washington, DC 20024. Telephone (202) 385-6301, FAX (202) 385-6475, or 
e-mail at: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Comments Invited

    You are invited to comment on the SOP for the sequencing of 
certification and validation projects listed in this notice by sending 
such written data, views, or arguments to the above listed address. 
Please identify ``SOP : AIR-100-001; Standard Operating 
Procedure--Aircraft Certification Service Project Sequencing,'' as the 
subject of your comments. You may also examine comments received on the 
SOP before and after the comment closing date at the FAA's Aircraft 
Engineering Division office located at, 950 L'Enfant Plaza, 5th Floor, 
SW., Washington, DC 20024, weekdays except Federal holidays, between 
8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. The Director of the Aircraft Certification 
Service will consider all communications received on or before the 
closing date before issuing the final document.

Background

    In 2005, the Federal Aviation Administration instituted a project 
sequencing process to manage our limited resources to address both 
continued operational safety and certification project work. This SOP 
documents the process used for sequencing new certification and 
validation projects worked in its Aircraft Certification Offices 
(ACOs), Manufacturing Inspection District Offices (MIDOs), and 
Directorate Standards Staffs. All applications for new certification 
and validation projects requiring more than 40 hours of dedicated FAA 
work effort are prioritized, on a national basis, based primarily on 
the project's impact on safety and availability of resources. The 
certification and validation programs include: Type certificate (TC), 
Amended Type Certificate (ATC), Supplemental Type Certificated ATC), 
Amended Supplemental Type Certificate (ASTC), Type Design Changes, Type 
Validation, when the FAA is the Validating Authority, and Parts 
Manufacturer Approval (PMA). Prior to 2005, the FAA accepted and 
committed to work all certification and validation projects in the 
order they were received, and frequently had to divert resources from 
activities supporting our safety mission to meet certification 
commitments. A means to manage resources such that applicants' requests 
for services are properly balanced with the FAA's primary mission of 
ensuring continued operational safety of the existing fleet is 
essential. The FAA is publishing the SOP to ensure transparency of the 
existing sequencing process and to

[[Page 54529]]

solicit feedback on how the process can be improved.

How to Obtain Copies

    You can get an electronic copy of the SOP : AIR-100-001; 
Standard Operating Procedure--Aircraft Certification Service Project 
Sequencing, via the Internet at http://www.faa.gov/aircraft/draft_docs/, and then select Policy, or by contacting the person named in the 
paragraph FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on August 26, 2011.
Susan J.M. Cabler,
Assistant Manager, Aircraft Engineering Division, Aircraft 
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2011-22360 Filed 8-31-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P