G/TBT/N/USA/2031  
10 August 2023  
(23-5454) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
1. Notifying Member:  UNITED STATES OF AMERICA  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):   
2. Agency responsible:   
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) [2062]  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers , email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:   
Please submit comments to: USA WTO TBT Enquiry Point, Email: usatbtep@nist.gov  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [  ], 2.10.1 [  ], 5.6.2 [  ], 5.7.1 [  ], 3.2 [  ], 7.2 [  ], 
other  [X]: To ensure the safe design and operation of aircraft in accordance with 49 
U.S.C. 44701(a) and 44704 and to provide additional airworthiness criteria that are an 
acceptable means of compliance for design features that differ fro m the Very Light 
Airplanes (VLA) limits defined in Advisory Circular (AC) 21.17 –3 or that are not adequately 
addressed by Certification Standards (CS –VLA) or Joint Aviation Requirements for Very 
Light Aeroplanes (JAR –VLA).  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  Very light 
airplanes; Powered aircraft "e.g. helicopters and aeroplanes" (excl. unmanned aircraft of 
heading 8806); spacecraft, incl. satellite s, and suborbital and spacecraft launch vehicles 
(HS code(s): 8802); Product and company certification. Conformity assessment (ICS 
code(s): 03.120.20); Aircraft and space vehicles in general (ICS code(s): 49.020)  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Policy for Type 
Certification of Very Light Airplanes as a Special Class of Aircraft; (9 page(s), in English)  
6. Description of content:  Notice of proposed policy, request for comments by 8 
September 2023 - The FAA is requesting comments on its proposed policy for the type 
certification of Very Light Airplanes (VLA) as a special class of aircraft under the Federal 
Aviation Regulations.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:  Protectio n of human health or safety  G/TBT/N/USA/2031  
 
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  8. Relevant documents:   
88 Federal Register (FR) 53815, 9 August 2023; Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations 
(CFR) Part 21:  
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2023-08-09/html/2023 -17084.htm  
https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR -2023-08-09/pdf/2023 -17084.pdf  
This notice of proposed policy, request for comments is identified by Docket Number FAA -
2023-0623. The Docket Folder is available from R egulations.gov at 
https://www.regulations.gov/docket/FAA -2023-0623/document  and provides access to 
primary documents as well as comments received. Documents are also accessible from 
Regulations.gov  by searching the Doc ket Number. WTO Members and their stakeholders 
are asked to submit comments to the USA TBT Enquiry Point  by or before 4pm Eastern 
Time on 8 September 2023. Comments received by the USA TBT Enquiry Point from WTO 
Members and  their stakeholders will be shared with the regulator and will also be 
submitted to the Docket  on Regulations.gov if received within the comment peri od. 
9. Proposed date of adoption:  To be determined  
Proposed date of entry into force:  To be determined  
10. Final date for comments:  8 September 2023  
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available , of other body:   
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2023/TBT/USA/23_1165 2_00_e.pdf