[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 73 (Thursday, April 16, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20554-20556]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-08589]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Consensus Standards, Light-Sport Aircraft

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of eleven revised 
consensus standards relating to the provisions of the Sport Pilot and 
Light-Sport Aircraft rule issued July 16, 2004, and effective September 
1, 2004. ASTM International Committee F37 on Light Sport Aircraft 
developed the revised standards with Federal Aviation Administration 
(FAA) participation. By this notice, the FAA finds the revised 
standards acceptable for certification of the specified aircraft under 
the provisions of the Sport Pilot and Light-Sport Aircraft rule.

DATES: Comments must be received on or before June 15, 2015.

ADDRESSES: Mail comments to: Federal Aviation Administration, Small 
Airplane Directorate, Programs and Procedures Branch, ACE-114,

[[Page 20555]]

Attention: Terry Chasteen, Room 301, 901 Locust, Kansas City, Missouri 
64106. Comments may also be emailed to: [email protected]. 
Specify the standard being addressed by ASTM designation and title. 
Mark all comments: Consensus Standards Comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Terry Chasteen, Light-Sport Aircraft 
Program Manager, Programs and Procedures Branch (ACE-114), Small 
Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification Service, Federal Aviation 
Administration, 901 Locust, Room 301, Kansas City, Missouri 64106; 
telephone (816) 329-4147; email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice announces the availability of 
eleven revised consensus standards that supersede previously accepted 
consensus standards relating to the provisions of the Sport Pilot and 
Light-Sport Aircraft rule. ASTM International Committee F37 on Light-
Sport Aircraft developed the revised standards. The FAA expects a 
suitable consensus standard to be reviewed periodically. The review 
cycle will result in a standard revision or reapproval. A standard is 
revised to make changes to its technical content or is reapproved to 
indicate a review cycle has been completed with no technical changes. A 
standard is issued under a fixed designation (e.g., F2245); the number 
immediately following the designation indicates the year of original 
adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A 
number in parentheses following the year of original adoption or 
revision indicates the year of last reapproval. For example, F2242-05 
(2013) designates a standard that was originally adopted (or revised) 
in 2005 and reapproved in 2013. A superscript epsilon ([egr]) indicates 
an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval. A notice of 
availability (NOA) will only be issued for new or revised standards. 
Reapproved standards issued with no technical changes or standards 
issued with editorial changes only (i.e., superscript epsilon [[egr]]) 
are considered accepted by the FAA without need for an NOA.
    Comments Invited: Interested persons are invited to submit such 
written data, views, or arguments, as they may desire. Communications 
should identify the consensus standard number and be submitted to the 
address specified above. All communications received on or before the 
closing date for comments will be forwarded to ASTM International 
Committee F37 for consideration. The standard may be changed in light 
of the comments received. The FAA will address all comments received 
during the recurring review of the consensus standard and will 
participate in the consensus standard revision process.
    Background: Under the provisions of the Sport Pilot and Light-Sport 
Aircraft rule, and revised Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
Circular A-119, ``Federal Participation in the Development and Use of 
Voluntary Consensus Standards and in Conformity Assessment 
Activities'', dated February 10, 1998, industry and the FAA have been 
working with ASTM International to develop consensus standards for 
light-sport aircraft. These consensus standards satisfy the FAA's goal 
for airworthiness certification and a verifiable minimum safety level 
for light-sport aircraft. Instead of developing airworthiness standards 
through the rulemaking process, the FAA participates as a member of 
Committee F37 in developing these standards. The use of the consensus 
standard process assures government and industry discussion and 
agreement on appropriate standards for the required level of safety.

Comments on Previous Notices of Availability

    In the Notice of Availability (NOA) issued on February 21, 2014, 
and published in the Federal Register on February 27, 2014 the FAA 
asked for public comments on the new and revised consensus standards 
accepted by that NOA. The comment period closed on April 28, 2014. No 
public comments were received regarding the standards accepted by this 
NOA.

Consensus Standards in This Notice of Availability

    The FAA has reviewed the standards presented in this NOA for 
compliance with the regulatory requirements of the rule. Any light-
sport aircraft issued a special light-sport airworthiness certificate, 
which has been designed, manufactured, operated and maintained, in 
accordance with this and previously accepted ASTM consensus standards 
provides the public with the appropriate level of safety established 
under the regulations. Manufacturers who choose to produce these 
aircraft and certificate these aircraft under 14 CFR 21.190 or 21.191 
are subject to the applicable consensus standard requirements. The FAA 
maintains a listing of all accepted standards on the FAA Web site.

The Revised Consensus Standard and Effective Period of Use

    The following previously accepted consensus standards have been 
revised, and this NOA is accepting the later revision. Either the 
previous revision or the later revision may be used for the initial 
certification of special light-sport aircraft until October 15, 2015. 
This overlapping period of time will allow aircraft that have started 
the initial certification process using the previous revision level to 
complete that process. After October 15, 2015, manufacturers must use 
the later revision and must identify the later revision in the 
Statement of Compliance for initial certification of special light-
sport aircraft unless the FAA publishes a specific notification 
otherwise. The following Consensus Standards may not be used after 
October 15, 2015:

ASTM Designation F2241-13, titled: Standard Specification for Continued 
Airworthiness System for Powered Parachute Aircraft
ASTM Designation F2244-13, titled: Standard Specification for Design 
and Performance Requirements for Powered Parachute Aircraft
ASTM Designation F2245-13b, titled: Standard Specification for Design 
and Performance of a Light Sport Airplane
ASTM Designation F2352-11, titled: Standard Specification for Design 
and Performance of Light Sport Gyroplane Aircraft
ASTM Designation F2355-13, titled: Standard Specification for Design 
and Performance Requirements for Lighter-Than-Air Light Sport Aircraft
ASTM Designation F2415-09, titled: Standard Practice for Continued 
Airworthiness System for Light Sport Gyroplane Aircraft
ASTM Designation F2564-13, titled: Standard Specification for Design 
and Performance of a Light Sport Glider
ASTM Designation F2746-12, titled: Standard Specification for Pilot's 
Operating Handbook (POH) for Light Sport Airplane
ASTM Designation F2840-11, titled: Standard Practice for Design and 
Manufacture of Electric Propulsion Units for Light Sport Aircraft
ASTM Designation F2930-13, titled: Standard Guide for Compliance with 
Light Sport Aircraft Standards

    The following previously accepted consensus standard has been 
revised, and this NOA is accepting the later revision. Either the 
previous revision or the later revision may be used for the initial 
certification of special light-sport aircraft until October 14, 2016. 
This overlapping period of time will allow aircraft that have started 
the initial

[[Page 20556]]

certification process using the previous revision level to complete 
that process. After October 14, 2016, manufacturers must use the later 
revision and must identify the later revision in the Statement of 
Compliance for initial certification of special light-sport aircraft 
unless the FAA publishes a specific notification otherwise. The 
following Consensus Standard may not be used after October 14, 2016:

ASTM Designation F2972-12, titled: Standard Specification for Light 
Sport Aircraft Manufacturer's Quality Assurance System

The Consensus Standards

    The FAA finds the following revised consensus standards acceptable 
for certification of the specified aircraft under the provisions of the 
Sport Pilot and Light-Sport Aircraft rule. The following consensus 
standards become effective April 16, 2015 and may be used unless the 
FAA publishes a specific notification otherwise:

ASTM Designation F2241-14, titled: Standard Specification for Continued 
Airworthiness System for Powered Parachute Aircraft
ASTM Designation F2244-14, titled: Standard Specification for Design 
and Performance Requirements for Powered Parachute Aircraft
ASTM Designation F2245-14, titled: Standard Specification for Design 
and Performance of a Light Sport Airplane
ASTM Designation F2352-14, titled: Standard Specification for Design 
and Performance of Light Sport Gyroplane Aircraft
ASTM Designation F2355-14, titled: Standard Specification for Design 
and Performance Requirements for Lighter-Than-Air Light Sport Aircraft
ASTM Designation F2415-14, titled: Standard Practice for Continued 
Airworthiness System for Light Sport Gyroplane Aircraft
ASTM Designation F2564-14, titled: Standard Specification for Design 
and Performance of a Light Sport Glider
ASTM Designation F2746-14, titled: Standard Specification for Pilot's 
Operating Handbook (POH) for Light Sport Airplane
ASTM Designation F2840-14, titled: Standard Practice for Design and 
Manufacture of Electric Propulsion Units for Light Sport Aircraft
ASTM Designation F2930-14a, titled: Standard Guide for Compliance with 
Light Sport Aircraft Standards
ASTM Designation F2972-14[egr]1, titled: Standard Specification for 
Light Sport Aircraft Manufacturer's Quality Assurance System

Availability

    ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, Post Office Box C700, 
West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959 copyrights these consensus standards. 
Individual reprints of a standard (single or multiple copies, or 
special compilations and other related technical information) may be 
obtained by contacting ASTM at this address, or at (610) 832-9585 
(phone), (610) 832-9555 (fax), through [email protected] (email), or 
through the ASTM Web site at www.astm.org. To inquire about standard 
content and/or membership or about ASTM International Offices abroad, 
contact Christine DeJong, Staff Manager for Committee F37 on Light-
Sport Aircraft: (610) 832-9736, [email protected].

    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri, on March 27, 2015.
Pat Mullen,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2015-08589 Filed 4-15-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P