[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 248 (Tuesday, December 27, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 81009-81010]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-33097]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee--New Task

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

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

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SUMMARY: The FAA assigned the Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee 
(ARAC) a new task to develop a comprehensive program of voluntary 
accreditation for commercial air tour operators that are not required 
under parts 91 and 135 of Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations 
(14 CFR) to maintain their aircraft under a continuous airworthiness 
maintenance program (CAMP). This task addresses, in part, the ARAC 
recommendation developed by the Commercial Air Tours Maintenance (CATM) 
Working Group, which the FAA accepted on February 1, 2011. This notice 
informs the public of a new ARAC activity and solicits membership for 
the new Commercial Air Tour Voluntary Accreditation Program Working 
Group.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Katherine Haley, Office of Rulemaking, 
Federal Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Avenue SW., 
Washington, DC 20591; telephone: (202) 493-5708, facsimile: (202) 267-
5075; email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    The FAA established ARAC to provide advice and recommendations to 
the FAA Administrator on the FAA's rulemaking activities. ARAC's 
objectives are to improve the development of the FAA's regulations by 
providing information, advice, and recommendations related to aviation 
issues.
    On July 15, 2009, the FAA tasked ARAC (74 FR 34390) to provide 
advice and recommendations on a maintenance quality assurance system, a 
maintenance training program and a required inspection program for 
operators and air carriers that conduct air tours and who operate under 
parts 91 and 135 (aircraft type certificated for a passenger seating 
configuration, excluding any pilot seat, of 9 or fewer seats). That 
tasking was in response to two recommendations from the National 
Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) (A-08-32 and A-08-33) and an FAA 
recommendation on air tour accidents. The CATM Working Group formed and 
met between November 2009 and December 2010 to address the ARAC 
tasking. On December 16, 2010, the CATM working group presented the 
findings and recommendations to the ARAC Executive Committee. One of 
the recommendations was to develop an Advisory Circular (AC) to create 
a voluntary accreditation program

[[Page 81010]]

modeled after the AC 00-56A, Voluntary Industry Distributor 
Accreditation Program. The FAA accepted the recommendations on February 
1, 2011.
    This tasking is the FAA's response to one of the CATM 
recommendations. The FAA is tasking ARAC to make recommendations on a 
program for voluntary accreditation in the form of an AC. The objective 
of the accreditation program is to raise the level of safety of 
commercial air tour operators not required by regulation to maintain 
their aircraft under a continuous airworthiness maintenance program.
    In December 2011, the ARAC Executive Committee met and discussed 
the solicited ideas and proposed actions for the tasking. This notice 
advises the public that the FAA has assigned, and the Executive 
Committee has accepted, a task to develop a recommendation report on a 
voluntary accreditation program in the form of an AC.

The Task

    The FAA has tasked the ARAC working group to provide advice and 
recommendations on a program for voluntary accreditation in the form of 
an AC. The objective of the accreditation program is to raise the level 
of safety of commercial air tour operators not required by regulation 
to maintain their aircraft under a CAMP.
    The working group is expected to develop a report containing 
recommendations on the tasking elements listed below. This report 
should document both majority and minority positions on the findings 
and the rationale for each position. Any disagreements should be 
documented, including the rationale for each position and the reasons 
for the disagreement. In developing its recommendations, the working 
group shall:
    1. Familiarize itself with AC 00-56A to use as a model for 
developing the subject AC.
    2. Establish quality system elements for a maintenance 
accreditation program.
    3. Determine acceptable quality system standards.
    4. Establish accreditation organization responsibilities.
    5. Establish audit procedures.
    6. Establish accreditation procedures.
    7. Draft an advisory circular that addresses the elements of 1-6 
above.
    Schedule: The recommendations must be forwarded to the ARAC 
Executive Committee for review and approval no later than December 
2012.

ARAC Acceptance of Task

    The ARAC Executive Committee has accepted the task and assigned it 
to the Commercial Air Tour Voluntary Accreditation Program Working 
Group. The working group serves as staff to ARAC and assists in the 
analysis of the assigned task. ARAC must review and approve the working 
group's recommendations. If ARAC accepts the working group's 
recommendations, it will send them to the FAA.

Working Group Activity

    The Commercial Air Tour Voluntary Accreditation Program 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 ARAC 
Executive Committee meeting held following publication of this notice.
    2. Provide a status report at each meeting of the ARAC Executive 
Committee.
    3. Draft the recommendation report and required analyses and/or any 
other related materials or documents.
    4. Present the final recommendations to the ARAC Executive 
Committee for review and approval.

Participation in the Working Group

    The Commercial Air Tour Voluntary Accreditation Program Working 
Group will be comprised of air tour industry organizations and 
technical experts having an interest in the assigned task. A working 
group member need not be a representative or a member of the committee. 
The FAA would like a wide range of members to ensure all aspects of 
rulemaking are considered in development of the recommendations.
    If you wish to become a member of the Commercial Air Tour Voluntary 
Accreditation Program Working Group, write 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 January 26, 
2012. The ARAC Executive Committee and the FAA 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 
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 the proposed technical solutions do not conflict with your 
sponsoring organization's position when the subject 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 
FAA and the working group chair.
    The Secretary of Transportation determined the formation and use of 
ARAC is necessary and in the public interest in connection with the 
performance of duties imposed on the FAA by law.
    ARAC meetings are open to the public. However, ARAC Commercial Air 
Tour Voluntary Accreditation Program Working Group meetings are not 
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 December 19, 2011.
Pamela Hamilton-Powell,
Executive Director, Aviation Rulemaking Advisory Committee.
[FR Doc. 2011-33097 Filed 12-23-11; 8:45 am]
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