[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 62 (Monday, April 3, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 16271-16272]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-06509]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration


Consensus Standards, Light-Sport Aircraft, Notice No. NOA-17-01

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of one new and six 
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 new and revised standards with FAA 
participation. By this notice, the FAA finds the new and 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 2, 2017.

ADDRESSES: Mail comments to: Federal Aviation Administration, Small 
Airplane Directorate, Programs and Procedures Branch, ACE-114, 
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 
one new and six 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 new and 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 (e) 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 [e]) 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 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'', revised 
January 27, 2016, 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 facilitates government and industry discussion and agreement on 
appropriate standards for the required level of safety.

Comments on Previous Notices of Availability

    In the previous Notice of Availability (NOA) issued on March 27, 
2015, and published in the Federal Register on April 16, 2015 the FAA 
asked for public comments on the revised consensus standards accepted 
by that NOA. The comment period closed on June 15, 2015. 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

[[Page 16272]]

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 
these 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 the latest FAA accepted standards specific to special light-
sport aircraft and information on previously accepted standards on the 
FAA Light-Sport Aircraft \1\ Web site. The FAA is working on a separate 
general listing of standards accepted by the FAA that have or may have 
applicability to other types of certifications. This general listing 
will also include the FAA accepted standards specific to special light-
sport aircraft. When available, a link will be placed on the FAA Light-
Sport Aircraft \2\ Web site.
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    \1\ http://www.faa.gov/aircraft/gen_av/light_sport/.
    \2\ http://www.faa.gov/aircraft/gen_av/light_sport/.
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    Prior to this NOA the listing of the FAA accepted standards 
specific to special light-sport aircraft included standards for 
gyroplanes and electric propulsion units. Including these standards on 
this listing could have caused confusion given the applicability 
statement in 14 CFR 21.190 and the definition of light-sport aircraft 
in 14 CFR 1.1, even though explanatory notes are provided with the 
listing. To prevent confusion, the revised listing of the FAA accepted 
standards specific to special light-sport aircraft associated with this 
NOA no longer includes the standards for gyroplanes and electric 
propulsion units. Instead, the gyroplane and electric propulsion unit 
standards will appear on the general listing of standards accepted by 
the FAA. The gyroplane and electric propulsion unit standards will be 
included on the listing of the FAA accepted standards specific to 
special light-sport aircraft at a later date, if the applicability 
statement in 14 CFR 21.190 and the definition of light-sport aircraft 
in 14 CFR 1.1 are revised accordingly.

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 
airworthiness certification of special light-sport aircraft until 
October 3, 2017. This overlapping period of time will allow aircraft 
that have started the initial airworthiness certification process using 
the previous revision level to complete that process. After October 3, 
2017, manufacturers must use the later revision and must identify the 
later revision in the Statement of Compliance for initial airworthiness 
certification of special light-sport aircraft unless the FAA publishes 
a specific notification otherwise. The following Consensus Standards 
may not be used after October 3, 2017:
    ASTM Designation F2245-14, titled: Standard Specification for 
Design and Performance of a Light Sport Airplane.
    ASTM Designation F2317/F2317M-10, titled: Standard Specification 
for Design of Weight-Shift-Control Aircraft.
    ASTM Designation F2563-06, titled: Standard Practice for Kit 
Assembly Instructions of Aircraft Intended Primarily for Recreation.
    ASTM Designation F2745-11, titled: Standard Specification for 
Required Product Information to be Provided with an Airplane.
    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.

The Consensus Standards

    The FAA finds the following new and revised consensus standards 
acceptable for initial airworthiness certification of the specified 
aircraft under the provisions of the Sport Pilot and Light-Sport 
Aircraft rule. The following consensus standards become effective April 
3, 2017 and may be used unless the FAA publishes a specific 
notification otherwise:
    ASTM Designation F2245-16c, titled: Standard Specification for 
Design and Performance of a Light Sport Airplane.
    ASTM Designation F2317/F2317M-16a, titled: Standard Specification 
for Design of Weight-Shift-Control Aircraft.
    ASTM Designation F2563-16, titled: Standard Practice for Kit 
Assembly Instructions of Aircraft Intended Primarily for Recreation.
    ASTM Designation F2745-15, titled: Standard Specification for 
Required Product Information to be Provided with an Airplane.
    ASTM Designation F2930-16, titled: Standard Guide for Compliance 
with Light Sport Aircraft Standards.
    ASTM Designation F2972-15, titled: Standard Specification for Light 
Sport Aircraft Manufacturer's Quality Assurance System.
    ASTM Designation F3199-16a, titled: Standard Guide for Wing 
Interface Documentation for Weight Shift Control Aircraft.

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 Joe Koury, Staff Manager for Committee F37 on Light-Sport 
Aircraft: (610) 832-9804, [email protected].

    Issued in Kansas City, Missouri on March 27, 2017.
Mel Johnson,
Acting Manager, Small Airplane Directorate, Aircraft Certification 
Service.
[FR Doc. 2017-06509 Filed 3-31-17; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P