[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 100 (Tuesday, May 24, 2022)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 31438-31439]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-10054]


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

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Aviation Administration

14 CFR Part 147

[Docket No. FAA-2015-3901; Notice No. 15-10 and Notice No. 19-02]
RIN 2120-AK48


Aviation Maintenance Technician Schools; Withdrawal

AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking and supplemental notice of 
proposed rulemaking; withdrawal.

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

SUMMARY: The FAA is withdrawing a previously published notice of 
proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that would have modernized and reorganized 
the required curriculum subjects for certificated Aviation Maintenance 
Technician Schools (AMTS), relocated course content items from the 
appendices into each school's operations specifications, and updated 
curriculum requirements to meet current industry needs. The FAA is also 
withdrawing the subsequently published supplemental notice of proposed 
rulemaking (SNPRM) that would have expanded the scope of the NPRM to 
allow competency-based training and satellite training locations and 
replaced the national passing norms specified in the quality of 
instruction requirements with a standard pass rate. The FAA is 
withdrawing these regulatory actions because they have been superseded 
by the Aircraft Certification, Safety, and Accountability Act.

DATES: The NPRM published on October 2, 2015 (80 FR 59674), is 
withdrawn as of May 24, 2022. The SNPRM published on April 16, 2019 (84 
FR 15533), is withdrawn as of May 24, 2022.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For technical questions concerning 
this action, contact Tanya Glines, Aircraft Maintenance Division, 
Federal Aviation Administration, 800 Independence Avenue SW, 
Washington, DC 20591; telephone (202) 380-5896; email 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    On October 2, 2015, the FAA published an NPRM (Notice No. 15-10) to 
modernize the curriculum requirements for certificated AMTSs. The FAA 
proposed to revise the required curriculum subjects listed in the 
appendices of part 147 and to relocate the course content items from 
the part 147 appendices to each school's operations specifications. The 
FAA proposed these revisions because the existing curriculum 
requirements are outdated, do not meet current industry needs, and 
could be changed only through notice and comment rulemaking. These 
amendments would have ensured that AMTS students receive up-to-date 
foundational training to meet the demands of the aviation industry. The 
comment period for the NPRM was originally scheduled to close on 
December 31, 2015, but was subsequently extended to February 1, 2016 
(80 FR 72404).
    On April 16, 2019, the FAA published an SNPRM (Notice No. 19-02), 
expanding the scope of the NPRM to propose the allowance of competency-
based training and satellite training locations and to replace the 
national passing norms specified in the quality of instruction 
requirements with a standard pass rate. The FAA proposed these 
revisions based on public comments received on the NPRM. The comment 
period for the SNPRM closed on June 17, 2019.

Reason for Withdrawal

    The FAA is withdrawing the NPRM (Notice No. 15-10) and SNPRM 
(Notice No. 19-02) due to Section 135 of the Aircraft Certification, 
Safety, and Accountability Act, Public Law 116-260, which was enacted 
on December 27, 2020 (the ``Act''). Section 135, Promoting Aviation 
Regulations for Technical Training, requires the FAA to issue interim 
final regulations in accordance with the requirements of Section 135. 
Additionally, Section 135 provides that current part 147 and any 
regulations issued under section 624 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 
2018 (Pub. L. 115-254) shall have no force or effect on or after the 
effective date of the interim final regulations. The proposed 
requirements contained in the NPRM (Notice No. 15-10) and SNPRM (Notice 
No. 19-02) would have significantly exceeded the scope of the statutory 
mandate. Accordingly, to comply with Section 135, the FAA is 
withdrawing the NPRM (Notice No. 15-10) and SNPRM (Notice No. 19-02). 
Instead of finalizing these proposals, the FAA published an interim 
final rule concurrently with this notice of withdrawal that establishes 
requirements for certificated AMTSs in accordance with Section 135 of 
the Act.

[[Page 31439]]

Conclusion

    The FAA has determined that Notice Nos. 15-10 and 19-02 have been 
superseded by the Aircraft Certification, Safety, and Accountability 
Act. Therefore, the FAA withdraws Notice No. 15-10, published at 80 FR 
59674 on October 2, 2015, and Notice No. 19-02, published at 84 FR 
15533 on April 16, 2019, as directed.
    Issued under authority provided by 49 U.S.C. 106(f), 44701(a), and 
44703 in Washington, DC.

Robert C. Carty,
Deputy Executive Director, Flight Standards Service.
[FR Doc. 2022-10054 Filed 5-23-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-13-P