[Federal Register Volume 78, Number 60 (Thursday, March 28, 2013)]
[Notices]
[Page 19063]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2013-07227]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Airworthiness Approval for Aircraft Forward-Looking Windshear and 
Turbulence Radar Systems

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Request for comment.

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

SUMMARY: This notice announces the proposed development of an advisory 
circular addressing airworthiness approval for aircraft forward-looking 
windshear and turbulence radar systems. The planned advisory circular 
would address installation guidance for these functionalities in 
Technical Standard Order (TSO)-C63d, Airborne Weather Radar Equipment. 
The objective is to leverage the installation specific guidance from 
the System Level Requirements (SLR) 10.2 recommended by the Forward-
Looking Windshear Detection System Working Group and the generic issue 
papers on turbulence detection to publish an advisory circular. (In 
order for the public to comment on our proposal, they will need to have 
access to SLR 10.2 and the issue papers.)

DATES: Request comments and interest in participating by April 29, 
2013.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Lee Nguyen, AIR-130, Federal 
Aviation Administration, 470 L'Enfant Plaza, Suite 4102, Washington, DC 
20024. Telephone (202) 385-4676, fax (202) 385-4651, email to: 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Use of radar for forward-looking windshear and turbulence detection 
was previously addressed as additional functionality added to TSO-C63c, 
Airborne Weather and Ground Mapping Pulsed Radars. The FAA and industry 
collaborated on the end-to-end requirements for the design and 
installation of the forward-looking windshear detection system with SLR 
10.2 and the turbulence detection function issue papers. With the 
publication of TSO-C63d, which added the forward-looking windshear and 
turbulence detection requirements, the design requirements are deleted 
from the TSO functionality.

Issue

    The design requirements are standardized and incorporated in TSO-
C63d; however, use of the SLR 10.2 documentation and the associated 
issue papers were not eliminated because guidance is still needed for 
the installation and airworthiness certification of these systems, 
which is not covered by TSO-C63d.

Proposal

    The FAA proposes developing an advisory circular to address 
installation guidance for TSO-C63d predictive windshear and turbulence 
detection equipment. The goal is to combine the installation specific 
guidance from SLR 10.2 and existing generic issue papers into an 
approved coordinated advisory circular. Additionally, the FAA would 
update the existing guidance as appropriate, based on experience with 
the existing guidance and industry input.

Comment and Participation Invited

    The FAA requests comment on the proposed AC to provide installation 
guidance for forward-looking windshear and turbulence detection radar 
systems. If the FAA proceeds with development of the AC, we envision 
collaborating with industry when drafting the guidance. As such, we 
request interested participants in a working group to develop the AC to 
respond to the person listed in the ``For Further Information Contact'' 
paragraph.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on March 25, 2013.
Susan J. M. Cabler,
Assistant Manager, Aircraft Engineering Division, Aircraft 
Certification Service.
[FR Doc. 2013-07227 Filed 3-27-13; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P